Amber probably also felt shitty because she’d gotten a dozen texts and calls from her family in the past twenty-four hours, though aside from talking to Ah Ma last night, she hadn’t answered any of them.
What had his parents told hers?
Your wayward daughter is corrupting our precious son!
Sebastian’s parents had arrived in Ashton Corners from Hong Kong when Sebastian was a baby. Upon hearing that there was a new Chinese family in the next town over, Ah Ma had wanted to visit, and she’d convinced Amber’s parents to go with her. Their baby sons had been only three months apart, and they’d become friends. Amber’s family had been a bridge, of sorts, between Sebastian’s family and their new Canadian small-town life, helping them adjust.
Their families had known each other for decades. And now...
She didn’t feel up to dealing with her family yet. Instead, she was having a night out with her friends.
Amber was now tipsy on beer, in addition to being exhausted and high on sugar. She’d also had four cups of coffee earlier, in an attempt to wake herself up. It hadn’t worked and probably put her body even more out of whack.
“Anyway,” she said, after another gulp of beer, “when his mother basically said I was an underachieving slut, Sebastian was furious.”
“Good,” Gloria said. “He should have been furious.”
“Once they were gone, he told me that I was perfect and he’d fallen in love with me. He had a romantic dinner all planned out.” Her voice wavered. “He also signed us up for a cake class.”
Roxanne and Gloria looked at each other.
“Why would he do that?” Roxanne asked.
“I told him that I want to take one. I watch baking shows all the time.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.” Amber paused. “I also crochet little animals as a hobby, but I felt embarrassed telling you two about those things, because you’re so talented and I’m...” She gestured vaguely with her hands.
“I knew about the cross-stitching,” Gloria said.
“Because I made you an intricate floral piece that said ‘Fuck that shit.’”
“Yeah, and I said you should sell them.”
“I don’t want to turn everything I do into a business, though.”
Gloria nodded. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get that. But you are talented.”
“You didn’t tell us about baking, but you told Sebastian,” Roxanne pointed out.
“I told him a lot of things.”
Gloria and Roxanne exchanged looks again. Why did they keep doing that?
“Are you sure you’re not in love with him?” Gloria asked. “I haven’t seen you this upset in a long time. Like, you and Darren were together for quite a while, and I don’t think you were this bothered when you found out he was cheating.”
“And all Sebastian has done is treat you well,” Roxanne said.
“Yeah, I fall for the losers. I’m broken. I can’t fall for the guy who’s actually good to me.” Amber frowned at her coaster.
“And has a big dick and knows how to use it,” Gloria said.
Amber snorted.
“I think you’ve fallen for him,” Roxanne said. “You’re just in denial. I’m not sure why. Maybe because of his parents.”
“Yesterday was bad enough. I don’t want to have to deal with that over and over again. I showed up in an I-want-to-have-sex-tonight dress.”
“Think of it this way: you’ve already reached rock bottom. There’s nowhere to go but up. How could it get any worse?”
“If they walked in on me giving him a blowjob and eating a donut off his dick.”
“Huh,” Gloria said. “Your imagination really is something.”
“It’s that old sex advice from Cosmo, right?” Roxanne said.
“Yeah, Sebastian and I were laughing about it the other day. You can see how much worse the situation could get.”
“With basic precautions—such as locking the door—it seems unlikely something like that would happen. He’s willing to take his parents to task for how they acted. Maybe try trusting that he can handle it and will always stick up for you.”
“Seems a pity to let this one go when you like him so much,” Gloria said. “I agree with Roxanne. You’re in deep denial.”
“I’m not.” Amber knew that wouldn’t convince them, though.
Gloria leaned forward. “So tell me. Exactly how big is it?”
Amber’s face heated, and then she chuckled at the earnestness in her friend’s face. “I’m not telling. That’s my secret.”
“Fine, fine. Be no fun.”
“I’m fun!”
“Yeah, your boyfriend—”
“Sebastian isn’t my boyfriend!”
“—is right. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
Perhaps it was the lack of sleep or the sheer quantity of sugar, caffeine, and booze that had passed through her veins, but Amber hiccupped and shed a few tears.
“You two are great,” she said.
“We’re also right,” Gloria said, giving her a hug. “You’ll see. Now I’m curious—do you have any pictures of your crochet animals?”
* * *
Amber hadn’t planned to go to Sunday dinner at her parents’ house that week. But Ah Ma had threatened to drink two piña coladas or drop dead—her threats kept changing—if Amber didn’t show up, and she felt guilty. She put on the Hamlet scarf that Ah Yeh had given her and headed out the door.
There were more people at Sunday dinner than usual. Greg, Nick, and their girlfriends had made the drive from Toronto, and everyone was at the door when Amber arrived, twenty minutes late.
“You don’t all need to look at me like that,” Amber said after taking off her shoes. “I’m perfectly fine.”
“I hear you and Sebastian aren’t together anymore,” Zach said.
“I ended things. It’s for the best. I don’t feel that way about him.”
“Are you sure?” Mom asked.
Her family doubted her, just like her friends.
“Do you want me to fight Cecilia and Randall?” Ah Ma lifted up her leg and kicked the air. She lost her balance, and Nick and Greg managed to catch her just in time. “I have mad fighting skills!”
“Sure you do,” Dad said.
“You think I am a weak old woman, but I will show you. Hi-yah!” She punched the air with her left fist, then the right.
“Okay, that’s enough. You’ll hurt yourself.”
“Then they will have my death on their conscience. Good! They deserve it. Amber, they said
